Introduction

THEATRE FAIR
SAN SEBASTIÁN
An event you won’t want to miss!
The International Theatre Fair of Donostia-San Sebastián is an outstanding showcase for performance arts. The event takes place in early summer, inaugurating Donostia’s cultural calendar for the summer season.

Dating back to 1988, over the past eleven editions the Theatre Fair has become a central point of reference for performance arts professionals throughout Spain and continues to work toward strengthening bonds between Latin American and European markets. The Donostia-San Sebastian Theatre Fair has consolidated into a leading theatre venue and has been at the top of the list of theatre fairs in Spain for several years. Quality programming has been the hallmark of the Fair, attracting theatre programme directors to many of the events.

The purpose of the Theatre Fair is to promote the performance arts, provide professionals an opportunity to exchange ideas and present the latest theatrical creations, with particular attention on promoting Basque theatre companies. The Fair was also created as a celebration of theatre and a time to enjoy quality dramatic performance. Together with Donostia-San Sebastián’s well-known film and music festivals, the International Theatre Fair rounds out the city’s cultural calendar.

For four days Donostia-San Sebastián becomes the meeting point for the performance arts sector, promoting contact between agents, performers and technicians, and facilitating development of the sector itself.
A few facts about the Donostia Theatre Fair

• For four days the Theatre Fair turns Donostia into a giant performance arts marketplace. The fair provides an extraordinary meeting place for different people active in the sector, promoting and facilitating exchange and employment opportunities. Directly or indirectly, the Donostia Theatre Fair generates an significant volume of sales among participants. This explains why for many theatre companies, more than 300 candidates in 2004, Donostia is such a excellent opportunity for opening new markets.

• The Theatre Fair attracts some 600 performance arts professionals to Donostia, 200 of which are programme directors. Particularly noteworthy is the presence of virtually all of the programme directors of the leading theatres in Spain, and from theatres in Latin American and Europe.

• The Theatre Fair programme includes a wide variety of quality performances, with a special focus on recent productions. Donostia is known for its excellent theatre and dance performance venues both indoors and outdoors. The Theatre Fair is rounded out with street theatre performances which turn the entire city centre into a mini-festival with a lively and festive atmosphere. The calendar of events at the last edition of the fair included 31 plays and nearly 60 performances.

• The Donostia Theatre Fair has chosen to make quality its hallmark – quality performances, quality venues and an overall high-quality experience for the accredited professionals attending the event. Donostia’s excellent offer of hotel accommodation and premier performance venues only helps to make this type of event an even bigger success.

• Donostia audiences turn out in droves to see the performances. Over the course of four days, some 20,000 people come enjoy the Theatre Fair’s outdoor and indoor performances. In fact, due to the popularity of the various events, it is not uncommon to see “sold out” signs hanging on ticket booths around town.